Zarco together with Caelum stares with a blank expression at the fallen soldier on the ground.

Zarco

-So... we won, my stone's charge is gone… what now?

Caelum

-We're in serious trouble, I figured you'd be able to buy time.

Zarco

-Enough time for you to run away, huh.

Caelum

-I was going to come back for you, idiot.

Zarco

-Ok then, so no problem! I will just run away with you.

Caelum

-I doubt Libertatem can carry both of us.

Zarco

-Libertatem?

Caelum

-My pegasus.

Zarco

-Jeez, what a bad name...

Caelum

-Quiet, I need to think of a plan.

Zarco thought

-She deviated from the subject, because the horse's name is so terrible...

Caelum thinks out loud

-We have no time to waste! I will immediately go to my pegasus, before a soldier finds it, or worse, they reach Sapere before me…

Caelum right after saying that starts running away.

Zarco

-Hey! What do I do?!

Caelum

-Leave the capital and reach some village of the inferior people!

Zarco

-What?! How do I get to one of those?!

Caelum

-Just get off the flying island!

Caelum soon was too far away from Zarco.

Zarco

-...

Zarco

-Wait… flying island? Is this thing flying?! HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO GET DOWN IF THIS SHIT IS FLYING?!!

Caelum was already too far away to hear, he knew that, but he yelled anyway.

Zarco

-Screw this! I'm just gonna kill everybody then...

Zarco then just leaves the place, but in a very different direction than Caelum did.

Near Basilius castle, inside the royal stables was Leo talking to a soldier.

Leo

-Is my mount ready?

Soldier

-Y-yes General Leo.

Leo

-Excellent.

Leo then prepares to ride the pegasus, but gets interrupted by a familiar voice.

Salus

-Leaving already Leo?

Leo just suddenly stops.

Salus

-I was surprised that you weren't able to capture that, aberration. Now, don’t tell me that becoming a general made you lose practice...

Salus after a brief pause completes his phrase with a smug smile.

-Or was it your blood that stopped you?

Leo remains silent with an expression of pure hatred, without turning to Salus.

Salus

-I'm worried about you, you know? It's important to not involve personal issues in your mission.

Salus

-If you want, I can go in your place instead, I'll do a great job and…

Leo

-SHUT UP!!! Don't think I've forgiven your actions! I have not forgiven even your existence! I just tolerate it out of obligation.

Salus

-Oh, I didn't expect so much hate and bitterness, you know I had no choice, it was my job, my mission, your brother was just one more.

Leo turns and advances against Salus, clearly out of control.

The soldier stands between the two

Soldier

-C-c-calm down!

Leo lifts the soldier with one hand and hurls him away.

Salus quickly draws two daggers from his waist. All while he remained calm and with his cocky smile intact at all times.

Leo, blinded by rage, advanced, fists raised, completely unarmed against Salus.

Suddenly, the two are startled, and separated, by the attack of a halberd, hitting the ground between them, the two spread their wings and jumped back out of sheer reflex.

It was Luscinia, halberd in hand in full attack. Clearly annoyed by the situation, she says firmly and loud.

-STOP!

Leo

-Stay out of this Luscinia! This is a matter of men! Women shouldn't meddle...

Luscinia quickly places the tip of the halberd towards Leo's throat, almost hitting him.

-I advise you to calm down and not complete your sentence, for your own good.

Salus speaks while letting out a mocking laugh.

-Oh, I never expected to see the guardian of life going around making death threats.

Luscinia takes the halberd out of Leo's throat and regains her composure.

-And I never expected to see the guardian of health, seeking unnecessary fights that undermine the well-being of him and others.

Salus hides his smile and mocking attitude as he kneels before Luscinia and says.

-A thousand pardons, I lost my temper for a moment.

Leo, seeing the scene, with blood in his eyes and hatred in his whole being, turns away and goes towards the pegasus.

Luscinia

-Leo! Wait!

Leo

-What?!

Luscinia

-Are you so blinded by anger that you even forgot your equipment?! Do you intend to go on the mission unarmed?

Leo speaks raising an arm

-I'm never unarmed.

Luscinia picks up a huge sword written “PAX”, which she carried along with a very rudimentary version of a pistol with a cast blade to compensate for the fact of it only being capable of firing a single shot.

Leo reluctantly picks up the weapons.

Leo

-Thanks…

And then, quickly goes out of the stables, riding his pegasus.

Luscinia

-Honestly, in a moment of crisis like this, you waste time teasing Leo, don't you think he has too many things on his mind right now Salus?!

She soon realizes her words had not reached anybody, because Salus had already left the stables.

Luscinia still proceeds to glance around the place, looking for him.

-Salus?

Luscinia thought

-Why did you choose someone like him, Basilius? I don’t understand...

Salus walked alone in a hallway, scraping his dagger against the wall while biting the tip of his thumb and whispering to himself.

-So close… So close, So close! Just one more cut… Just one cut! Damn Leo… Damn it, so close… Just one cut…

He takes the dagger and opens a small compartment showing a vial of poison.

Salus puts the bottle extremely and uncomfortably close to the eye, almost touching it.

Salus

-So close... Just a cut... Just a drop... Just a corpse... Just a moment of pleasure.

END OF THE FIFTH CHAPTER